Uncategorized – Mark Trevor Owen

100 Years of Nigel Kneale

On the 28th April, it will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nigel Kneale. He’s one of the finest writers the Isle of Man has ever produced, with an influence still felt in work being produced today. However, his chosen genre means he hasn’t always received the acclaim he deserves. I’ve tried toContinue reading “100 Years of Nigel Kneale”

Visions of Baths

A while ago, I had an article published by the excellent Manx website Gef. The piece was all about a trip I’d taken around the Isle of Man, photographing derelict abandoned open-air swimming baths from the heyday of tourism. If you’d like to read the article, here’s a link: https://gef.im/2021/04/17/taking-a-dive-into-open-air-pools/ If you’re not familiar withContinue reading “Visions of Baths”

Peel 1965

Algorithms are funny things. Sometimes they’re belly-shakingly hilarious in their misfires. But generally, they’re quite cute in the way they stalk your every online movement to serve up some digital sweetmeat that they think you might like. They’re often correct. Because I read and write a fair bit about Manx culture and history, a siteContinue reading “Peel 1965”

The loss of the Ellan Vannin

I’ve written a piece for Gef to mark the anniversary of the loss of the Ellan Vannin. It’s one of the saddest tales in the history of the Isle of Man, but one worth knowing about. Here’s a link to the article:

Pacino Boats

I’ve just found this photo, that I took a few years ago. It was the first in a series of pictures that I called Manx Fishing Boats That Share Their Name With An Al Pacino Movie. And indeed, the last. I’m very happy to be proved wrong on this. If you know anything about aContinue reading “Pacino Boats”

The Godfather of Manx Democracy

To mark Black History Month, I was commissioned to write this piece about James Brown (no, not that one) for gef.im Our James Brown is one of the most remarkable characters in the history of the Isle of Man, and his influence is still felt in how the place is run today. Here’s a linkContinue reading “The Godfather of Manx Democracy”

More Manx Women

A little while back, I wrote a piece for International Women’s Day, celebrating some of the most notable women in Manx history. Here’s a link to it: It’s by no means a complaint, but there are so many of them, I ran out of space in the article . So here’s another assortment. Sophia MorrisonContinue reading “More Manx Women”

The Picture House

100 years ago, the fondly remembered Isle of Man cinema, The Picture House, opened. To mark the anniversary, I’ve written this piece for Gef. Read all about my encounter with Dracula in the Manx Museum, the timing issues of Movietone Follies, and why Audrey Hepburn just wouldn’t go away.

Queen Victoria and the Disco Kings

I’ve written a new article for the website Gef. It has a cast of (almost) thousands of Manx and Manx-connected worthies, standing very still around Douglas. https://gef.im/2021/07/31/how-deep-is-your-love-for-statues/?fbclid=IwAR21CdSYGNJ14jMSn2b-txVgfpx1eTmehcY-xEjAq1CEcRS-hepyCSySeCM

Stick in the Memory

Facebook Memories is at it again. It’s now charmingly informed me that seven years have passed since I took this photo. Apart from any sort of long-distance travel being a memory now, this has also reminded me that the day I visited the Eiffel Tower, was also the day that I saw somebody use aContinue reading “Stick in the Memory”